natural disasters

Nederlands and Papiamentu below.

 

Last May, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA)‘s research intern Nina Zander requested via (social) media citizens on Bonaire to complete a questionnaire. This questionnaire was part of her research into how resilient Bonairian households are to vulnerabilities due to climate change. Her study has now been completed and the results suggest that there are still many barriers before households on Bonaire are resilient to the vulnerabilities due to climate change. Action to increase this resilience is required. 

Climate change and climate change vulnerabilities 

© Casper Douma

Global warming causes big changes in climate. These changes lead to climate vulnerabilities, which are expected to occur more often or intense in the future. Examples of such vulnerabilities on Bonaire are tropical storms, hurricanes, floods, and droughts. These can destroy Bonaire’s nature, like its coral reefs and mangroves. They can also harm Bonaire’s citizens. For example, it can cause injuries or sickness, and it can destroy vital infrastructure and buildings. Also, it can harm the economy and decrease household incomes. Small Islands, such as Bonaire and the other Dutch Caribbean Islands, are especially at risk. They are also expected to be most affected by the impacts of climate change. Therefore, it is important to make sure these islands and their households are resilient to climate change vulnerabilities. 

Research and results 

This is why Nina Zander, DCNA’s research intern and Master’s student of the University of Utrecht, has researched how resilient households on Bonaire are towards climate change vulnerabilities. The results of her research suggest that there is still a lot in the way for households to be climate resilient. For example, many households are not insured for damage caused by climate change vulnerabilities. Or they do not have enough savings to recover from such damage. Also, households often do not really know how climate change can impact them or how they can prepare for it. Poverty is another barrier. The results of this study also suggest that some household types, such as big households and households which have low education levels, are inclined to be less resilient.  

What now? 

© Casper Douma

Action to increase climate resilience is thus highly needed. Institutions like governments can initiate such action. For example, they can create an action plan. Protecting and recovering Bonaire’s nature should be part of this. Recommendations are made by the DCNA for this in their Dutch Caribbean Climate Action Plan.  

You can also take steps, like making sure your insurance covers climate change damage and becoming familiar with Public Entity Bonaire (OLB)’s disaster relief brochures . Also, make sure to stay updated on climate change impacts on nature by subscribing to DCNA’s free digital newsletter Bionews and by keeping an eye on DCNA’s social media channels. 

Interested in more information? 

Are you interested to learn more about this topic? You can find Nina’s thesis and the communication report in the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database.  You can also reach Nina through nina.p.zander@gmail.com. 

 

More info in the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database

 

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Nederlands

Bonairiaanse huishoudens niet veerkrachtig voor klimaatsveranderingen- actie is hoognodig

Afgelopen mei heeft de Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA)’s onderzoeksstagiaire Nina Zander via (social) media een oproep gedaan om een vragenlijst in te vullen. Deze vragenlijst was onderdeel van haar onderzoek naar hoe veerkrachtig Bonairiaanse huishoudens zijn ten opzichte van kwetsbaarheden door verandering van het klimaat. Voor iedereen die de vragenlijst heeft ingevuld: ontzettend bedankt. Inmiddels is haar onderzoek afgerond. De resultaten van dit onderzoek suggereren dat er nog veel barrières zijn voordat huishoudens op Bonaire veerkrachtig zijn ten opzichte van de kwetsbaarheden door verandering van het klimaat. Actie om deze veerkracht te verhogen is vereist.  

 

Klimaatverandering en kwetsbaarheden 

© Casper Douma

Opwarming van de aarde veroorzaakt veranderingen in het klimaat. Deze veranderingen leiden tot klimaat kwetsbaarheden. Het wordt verwacht dat deze vaker of intenser zullen voorkomen in de toekomst. Voorbeelden van zulke kwetsbaarheden op Bonaire zijn tropische stormen, orkanen, overstromingen en droogten. Deze kunnen de natuur van Bonaire, zoals zijn koraalriffen en mangroves, verwoesten. Daarnaast kan het ook de inwoners van Bonaire schaden. Het kan bijvoorbeeld verwoningen of ziekten veroorzaken en het kan vitale infrastructuur en gebouwen verwoesten. Ook beïnvloedt het de economie en kan het de inkomens van huishoudens doen afnemen. Kleine eilanden – zoals Bonaire en de andere Nederlandse Caribische eilanden – lopen vooral risico. Ook wordt er verwacht dat deze eilanden het meeste beïnvloedt zullen worden door de impact van klimaatveranderingen. Daarom is het van belang dat deze eilanden en hun huishoudens veerkrachtig zijn tegen kwetsbaarheden door klimaatverandering. 

 

Onderzoek en resultaten 

Dit is waarom Nina Zander, de onderzoeksstagaire van de DCNA en Master of Science studente van de Unversiteit van Utrecht, onderzocht heeft hoe veerkrachtig Bonairiaanse huishoudens zijn ten opzichte van kwetsbaarheden door klimaatverandering. De resultaten van haar onderzoek suggereren dat er nog veel barrières bestaan voordat huishoudens klimaat veerkrachtig zijn. Zo zijn veel huishoudens bijvoorbeeld niet verzekerd tegen schade veroorzaakt door deze klimaat kwetsbaarheden. Of ze hebben niet genoeg spaargeld om te herstellen van zulke schade. Ook zijn huishoudens vaak niet bewust van hoe klimaatverandering en kwetsbaarheden hun kan beïnvloeden of hoe ze zich hierop kunnen voorbereiden. Armoede is ook een barrière. Daarnaast suggereren de resultaten van deze studie dat sommige typen huishoudens, zoals grote huishoudens en huishoudens met lagere educatie niveaus, gemiddeld gezien minder veerkrachtig zijn.  

 

Wat nu? 

© Casper Douma

Actie om klimaat veerkracht te vergroten is dus broodnodig. Instituties zoals overheden kunnen zulke actie initiëren. Zo kunnen ze bijvoorbeeld een actieplan opzetten. Het beschermen en herstellen van de natuur op Bonaire moet hier een onderdeel van zijn. Aanbevelingen voor een actieplan worden door de DCNA gedaan in hun ‘Klimaat Actieplan voor het Nederlands Caribisch Gebied’. Ook u kunt stappen ondernemen. Zo kunt u bijvoorbeeld zorgen dat uw verzekering schade door klimaatverandering vergoedt en de rampenbestrijding brochures van het Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire (OLB) lezen. Zorg ook dat u op de hoogte blijft van de impact van klimaatverandering op de natuur van Bonaire door te abonneren op DCNA’s gratis digitale nieuwsbrief Bionews [Hyperlink] en door te kijken naar DCNA’s sociale mediakanalen.  

 

Geïnteresseerd in meer informatie? 

Bent u geïnteresseerd in meer informatie over dit onderzoek? U kunt Nina’s scriptie en het bijbehorende communicatierapport vinden op in de DCBD. Voor vragen kunt u Nina ook bereiken via nina.p.zander@gmail.com. 

 

 

More info in the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database

 

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Papiamentu

Kas di famianan boneriano no tin resiliensia pa kambio di klima – akshon ta altamente nesesario

Na luna di mei último Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA)‘s su stazjèr di investigashon Nina Zander a hasi un yamada via medionan sosial pa yena un kuestionario. E enkuesta akí tabata parti di su investigashon pa haña sa kon resiliente kas di famianan boneriano ta relashoná ku debilidatnan kousá pa kambio di klima. Un gradisimentu ta bai na tur persona ku a yena e lista di enkuesta. Miéntras tantu su investigashon a terminá. E resultadonan di e investigashon akí ta sugerí ku tin hopi barera ainda ku ta stroba ku kas di famianan boneriano ta alkansá resiliensia pa kambio di klima. Ta nesesario pa tuma akshon pa halsa e resiliensia akí.  

Kambio di Klima i debilidatnan 

© Casper Douma

Keintamentu di mundu ta kousa kambio den klima. E kambionan akí ta trese ku nan menasanan (debilidatnan) di klima. Por premirá ku esakinan ta bai presentá mas frekuentemente òf mas intensivamente den futuro. Ehèmpel di e menasanan akí na Boneiru ta tormenta tropikal, orkan, inundashon i sekura. Esakinan por destruí naturalesa di Boneiru, manera su koralnan i mondinan di palu di mangel. Tambe nan por kousa daño na siudadanonan di Boneiru. Por ehèmpel, nan por kousa leshon òf malesa i nan por destruí infrastruktura vital i edifisio. Tambe nan por kousa daño na e ekonomia i baha e entrada di kas di famianan. Islanan chikitu – manera Boneiru i e otro islanan di Karibe Hulandes – ta kore prinsipalmente riesgo. Tambe ta spera ku e islanan akí lo sinti mas efekto di e impaktonan di kambio di klima. Pa e motibu ei, ta importante ku e islanan akí i nan kas di famianan ta resiliente pa e menasanan di kambio di klima.  

 

Investigashon i resultado 

Esaki ta e motibu dikon Nina Zander, kende ta e stazjèr di investigashon di DCNA i studiante di Master di Siensia na Universidat di Utrecht, a investigá kon e resiliensia di e kas di famianan boneriano ta pa konfrontá debilidatnan kousá pa kambio di klima. E resultadonan di su investigashon ta sugerí ku ainda tin bastante barera promé ku e kas di famianan alkansá sufisiente kalidat di resiliensia. Por ehèmpel hopi kas di famia no ta sigurá kontra daño kousá pa e debilidatnan di kambio di klima akí. Ni tampoko nan no tin sufisiente sèn di spar pa por kubri daño similar. Ademas, kas di famianan no ta na altura kon kambio di klima por hasi impakto riba nan ni kon nan por prepará pa esaki. Pobresa tambe ta un otro barera. Ademas e resultadonan di e investigashon akí ta sugerí ku algun sorto di kas di famia, manera kas di famianan grandi i kas di famianan ku tin un grado abou di edukashon, promedio tin chèns di ta ménos resiliente.  

Kiko awor? 

© Casper Douma

Pues akshon pa halsa e resiliensia pa klima ta altamente nesesario. Institutonan manera gobièrnu por inisiá e tipo di akshonnan akí. Por ehèmpel, nan por krea un plan di akshon. Protekshon i rekuperashon di naturalesa di Boneiru lo mester ta parti di esaki. DCNA ta duna rekomendashonnan pa esaki den nan ‘Plan di Akshon pa Klima pa Karibe Hulandes’. Abo mes tambe por tuma medida, manera sea sigur ku bo pólisa di seguro ta kubri kambio di klima i tuma bon nota di foyetonan di Entidat Públiko Bonaire (OLB) tokante kombatimentu di desaster. Ademas sea sigur di ta bon na altura di e informashon tokante impakto di kambio di klima dor di aboná riba e boletin di notisia digital grátis Bionews i dor di tira bista riba DCNA su kanalnan di medionan sosial. 

Bo ta interesá den mas informashon? 

Bo ta interesá den mas informashon tokante e investigashon akí? Bo por haña Nina su tesina i e rapòrt pa komunikashon tokante esaki riba Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database. Pa pregunta por tuma kontakto ku Nina tambe via  nina.p.zander@gmail.com.

 

More info in the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database

 

 

 

 

Published in BioNews 58.

Main Findings

The main climate change vulnerabilities for Bonaire are: an increase in the intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms, an increase in the number and extent of flood events, and an increase in the occurrence of extreme weather

• These impact Bonaire’s natural systems (e.g., destruction of coastal and marine ecosystems and terrestrial environments) and socio-economic systems (e.g., health, income, and food availability) – and thus negatively impact households.

• The average score of the household sample indicates that HCR in Bonaire is not particularly low, but also not high.

• Especially the following drivers of household climate resilience seem to be limited in Bonaire: expected damage to homes, amount of savings, insurance covering damage from climate change (vulnerabilities), dependent income sources, incomes, vulnerable neighbourhoods, alternatives to electricity, water, and food, social resilience, community response, government response, awareness of climate change, information and education on climate change impacts and steps to prepare for this, and steps taken to prepare for this.

• The following households are less inclined to be climate resilient: (possibly) bigger households, households with high kid ratios, households with younger household heads, (possibly) households speaking fewer languages, households not fluently speaking English, and households with a higher level of obtained education.

 

Recommendations

• Create an action plan in which policy directly aimed at increasing (household) climate resilience is formulated. This should at least include policy to:

>Keep investing in the protection and recovery of Bonaire’s nature

>Create awareness >Increase the availability of insurance covering damage from climate change (vulnerabilities)

>Provide financial assistance to help households prepare for climate change (vulnerabilities)

>Provide income generating opportunities and diversify the economy.

 

• Incorporate climate change (resiliency) in the design of policy on other themes.

• Increase cooperation• Involve the local community

• Conduct additional research

 

 

For more information, please contact Nina Zander nina.p.zander@gmail.com.

Please also see:

Nina Zander's Masters Thesis https://www.dcbd.nl/document/household-resilience-climate-change-vulnera...
Raw data set https://www.dcbd.nl/document/household-resilience-climate-change-vulnera...

Although the La Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent saw its latest explosive eruption over a week ago, and the threat level has decreased to Orange, caution is still necessary. Uncertainty for the St. Vincent population therefore remains, as thousands of people had to evacuate their villages and stay elsewhere on the island. Further uncertainty and hardship are caused by the eruptions’ effect on local food and water supplies. Gratefully, in a region where catastrophic weather events are not uncommon, regional organizations and nations quickly mobilized relief efforts to aid Vincentians.

In a letter to the journal Science, biologists from 12 Caribbean organizations, including STENAPA on St. Eustatius, highlight the need to prioritize both humanitarian aid and biosecurity when responding to natural disasters. The authors note how bypassing biosecurity could cause additional long-term harm to both the local ecosystems and the human population. Erik Boman, Director of STENAPA, pointed out that this threat is especially grave on islands. The letter also “urge governments and aiding parties responding to catastrophes to recognize and mitigate potential risks”.

Several of the authors have been involved in invasive species control on Dominica, where during the humanitarian aid campaign that followed the passing of Hurricane Maria in 2017, several non-native species were introduced. The local NGO WildDominique is currently working hard to remove both amphibian and reptile species that established populations there. The green iguana is also a biosecurity issue for local iguana, Iguana delicatissima on St. Eustatius. Although thousands of dollars have already been invested in these eradication efforts, a complete assessment of all species that arrived with the aid supplies still awaits. In the aftermath of natural disasters, when the natural environment is heavily affected and recovering, arriving non-native species will have the opportunity to spread out further and would form a major threat to the isolated and native flora and fauna on the island.

The letter further addresses the need for wide and multi-organizational collaborations to prepare for future large-scale humanitarian aid campaigns, of which each will be unique.

Link to Letter at Science: https://science.sciencemag.org/content/372/6542/581

 

Article published in BioNews 43